Buy-bust nets guns, suspected shabu

ARRESTED. Three illegal drug and gun suspects cover their faces after their arrest in Barangay Tabuc Suba, Jaro, Iloilo City on Wednesday night, Sept, 12. They face charges for violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act and the Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act. IAN PAUL CORDERO/PN

ILOILO City – In Barangay Tabuc Suba, Jaro district a buy-bust operation at the ancestral house of a former mayor in Agusan del Norte yielded firearms and suspected shabu.

The subject of Tuesday night’s buy-bust in the house of former mayor Nilo Soliva of the municipality of Remedios T. Romualdez, Agusan del Norte was Gellanga.

According to RDEU chief Senior Inspector Kennith Bermejo, an undercover police officer was able to buy from Gellanga a big sachet of shabu worth P5,200.

After the arrest, RDEU operatives were able to recover seven more sachets of suspected shabu valued at P50,000, said Bermejo.

Constantino and Develles were companions of Gellanga at the time of the buy-bust in the house located at Bankers’ Village.

Two firearms were seized from Develles, said Bermejo. These were a .30 carbine and a 12-gauge shot gun, both unlicensed, said Bermejo. Aside from Gellanga, another target of the buy-bust was Clint Soliva, son of the former mayor, but he was not around, according to the RDEU chief.

Gellanga and Constantino face a charge for violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act while Develles for violation of the Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act.

The three were taken to the Jaro police station after the buy-bust./PN